2007 IFAF World Championship

The 2007 IFAF World Championship was the third instance of the IFAF World Championship, the quadrennial international American football world championship tournament. It was held July 7–15, 2007 in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan.

Venues

Participants

Japan (qualify automatically as host)
Sweden (European champion)
Germany
United States (invitee)
France
South Korea (Winner of Asia/Oceania Playoff)

Matches

Group 1

at Todoroki Athletics Stadium

Date: July 7, 2007
Game time: 18:10
Game weather: Cloudy
Game attendance: 12336
Referee: Bill LeMonnier
Box score

at Kawasaki Stadium

Date: July 10, 2007
Game time: 15:00
Game weather: Rain
Referee: Bill LeMonnier
Box score

at Kawasaki Stadium

Date: July 12, 2007
Game time: 19:00
Game weather: Cloudy
Game attendance: 4093
Referee: Bill LeMonnier
Box score

Group 2

at Kawasaki Stadium

Date: July 8, 2007
Game time: 17:00
Game weather: Fine
Game attendance: 2632
Referee: Fereed Adus
Box score

at Kawasaki Stadium

Date: July 10, 2007
Game time: 19:00
Game weather: Rain
Game attendance: 2077
Referee: Fereed Adus
Box score

at Kawasaki Stadium

Date: July 12, 2007
Game time: 15:00
Game weather: Cloudy/intermittent rain
Referee: Fereed Adus
Box score

5th place

at Kawasaki Stadium

Date: July 14, 2007
Game time: 15:00
Game weather: Rain
Referee: Fereed Adus
Box score

3rd place

at Kawasaki Stadium

Date: July 14, 2007
Game time: 19:00
Game weather: Rain
Game attendance: 1943
Referee: Bill LeMonnier
Box score

Final

at Todoroki Athletics Stadium

Date: July 15, 2007
Game time: 15:10
Game weather: Rain
Game attendance: 10231
Referee: Peter Springwald
Box score

The United States competed for the first time in the 2007 IFAF World Cup. Japan was making their third appearance in the finals, winning the previous two World Championships. Japan took a 17-10 lead with seven minutes and seven seconds left in regulation. University of Arizona quarterback Adam Austin guided Team USA with an 11-play, 80-yard drive that ended with the second 5-yard touchdown run by RB Kyle Kasperbauer, to tie the game at 17. IFAF follows the overtime system used by the NCAA, and both teams scored field goals with their first OT possession. In the second overtime, Japan got the ball first but missed a 34-yard field goal attempt. Team USA then reached Japan's 6-yard line. On 4th and one, Craig Coffin kicked the game winning 22-yard field goal, with the final score at 23-20. University of Nebraska-Omaha running back Kyle Kasperbauer was named MVP of the game after scoring two touchdowns and running for 54 yards on 15 carries.

0-7 Kasperbauer 5 yard run (Coffin kick) (1-9:03)
7-7 Kihira 2 yard pass from Tomizawa (Kaneoya kick) (2-10:51)
10-7 Kaneoya 49 yard field goal (2-8:02)
10-10 Coffin 35 yard field goal (3-4:18)
17-10 Mayuzumi 6 yard pass from Tomizawa (Kaneoya kick) (4-7:07)
17-17 Kasperbauer 5 yard run (Coffin kick) (4-2:51)
17-20 Coffin 43 yard field goal (OT1-0:00)
20-20 Kaneoya 25 yard field goal (OT1-0:00)
20-23 Coffin 22 yard field goal (OT2-0:00)

Attendance: 10,231

Team Statistics Japan USA

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First Downs 13 14

Rushing Plays 34 32 Net Yards Rushing 92 128

Attempts-Completions 25-17 12-25 Net Yards Passing 166 109

Fumbles Lost 1 3 Interceptions 1 1

Penalties-Yards 1-15 3-30

Time of Possession 27:45 20:15

Individual Statistics

Rushing: Japan - Furutani 13-61, Ishino 3-15, M. Maeda 4-7, Namiki 2-6, Shimizu 3-5, Tomizawa 2-2, Takata 7-(-4)

USA - Kasperbauer 15-65, Blakowski 10-55, W. Johnson 4-13, Austin 3-(-5)

Passing: Japan - Tomizawa 20-14-140-2-0, Takata 4-3-26-0-1, Nakajima 1-0-0-0-0

USA - Austin 25-12-109-1-0

Receiving: Japan - Hasegawa 3-37, Nakajima 3-29, Furutani 3-23, Shimizu 2-24, Yoneyama 2-12, Mayuzumi 2-11, M. Maeda 1-28, Kihira 1-2

USA - Drenckhahn 5-40, Lewis 2-20, Odom 2/19, Thompson 1-13, Awrey 1-11, Childs 1-6

Winner

Statistics

External links

Official website